Begonia plant named ‘LYDIA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘LYDIA’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; and double flowers that are yellow and orange in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LYDIA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hiemalis, commercially referred to as a Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LYDIA’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia hiemalis ‘Nadine’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/008,292 (abandoned). The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Nadine’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heinenoord, The Netherlands in March, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands since February, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LYDIA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LYDIA’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Basal branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Double flowers that are yellow and orange in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Nadine’. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Nadine’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact and denser than         plants of ‘Nadine’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are double whereas         flowers of plants of ‘Nadine’ are single.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia ‘BBEVA’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,053. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in ‘s-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘BBEVA’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were larger than and not as compact         as plants of ‘BBEVA’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia had fewer tepals than         flowers of plants of ‘BBEVA’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LYDIA’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close up views of typical flower buds, flowers and leaves of ‘LYDIA’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in 13-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in ‘s-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° to 21° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° to 20° C. and light levels averaged 7,000 lux. Plants were eleven weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hiemalis ‘LYDIA’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia     hiemalis ‘Nadine’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent application     publication number 2003/6093846. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures about             25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 35 to 36 days at             temperatures about 21° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; light brown             in color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed             to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounded plant habit; plant shape roughly             broadly ovate; basal branching habit with about three basal             branches per plant; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20.7 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 11.4 cm. Diameter:             About 9 mm to 10 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm.             Texture: Young stems, sparsely pubescent; developed stems,             glabrous. Aspect: Upright to about 20° from the vertical.             Color, developing: Close to between 144A and 146C. Color,             fully developed: Close to between 144A and 146B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.6 cm. Width: About 9.4 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate,             unequal. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Oblique to hastate.             Margin: Bi-serrate to denticulate. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent along veins. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N137D and 141A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B slightly             tinged with close to 182B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Between N137A and 147A; venation, close to 143B.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A;             venation, close to 144A. Petioles: Length: About 5.9 cm.             Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Fully double rotate flowers arranged in             axillary compound cymes; flowers sterile; freely flowering             habit with about ten flowers per cyme and about 300 flowers             developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten             weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             freely and continuously from spring into the autumn in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 11.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm to             22 mm. Shape: Orbicular, flattened. Color: Close to 149D and             150D; upper margin, close to 154C to 154D.         -   Tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Two, opposite.             Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 3.6 cm. Shape: Reniform.             Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Texture, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 14C; towards the apex and margins, tinged with close to             22A to 22B; towards the base, close to 145C. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 11B; center and towards the base,             close to 145D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 24B;             towards the apex and margins, close to 15D; towards the             base, close to 154C; with development, color becoming closer             to 15D and towards the apex, close to 33C. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 19B; towards the base, close to 1D;             with development, color towards the apex, becoming closer to             37A.         -   Tepaloids.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: About 25 in             multiple whorls. Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Texture,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 6B; towards the base, close to 4C. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 10B to 10D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 25C; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to between             20C to 21D; color does not fade with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.9 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to             5 mm. Angle: About 30° from branch axis. Strength: Flexible,             bending with the weight of the flowers. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 40° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Flexible,             bending with the weight of the flowers. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 11B; proximally, close to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed on plants of             the new Begonia. Gynoecium: Not observed on plants of the             new Begonia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to     USDA Hardiness Zone 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘LYDIA’ as illustrated and described. 